There are more than a few diseases caused by exposure to asbestos in humans. Asbestos Exposure Symptoms vary between the diseases, but are generally respiratory and chronic, and become worse over long periods of time. Read on to find out more about the Asbestos Exposure Symptoms.
Asbestos is found in almost every town in the country, and the places and manners it has been used are countless. The material appeared to meet many different needs before the dangers were known, and, as such, it appeared in over 300 consumer products, as well as in job sites, transportation vehicles, housing and construction.
The biggest risk factor to mesothelioma is past exposure to asbestos. Around 80% of mesothelioma patients have been previously exposed to asbestos. This is the reason why some people alternatively call mesothelioma asbestos cancer. There could be a lot of ways in which exposure may happen. One of the most common ways however is through work situations. Employees who work for companies that use asbestos are the most at risk of developing mesothelioma.
In some cases though, there are also patients who claim that they never have been exposed. There may therefore be some other risk factors involved. There are also a number of patients who may not exactly recall when and where they were exposed to asbestos. This is especially true for people who have indirect asbestos contact. The fibers of asbestos for example can be inhaled or ingested from objects like the clothes of people working with asbestos.
It is almost impossible to claim that any individual has never been exposed to asbestos, and it still appears in many households in some form or another.(For the most part, it is safe if sealed and intact.) However, as an overview of some of the more commonly utilized locations for this “miracle mineral” (as dubbed by its discoverers, the early Greeks), asbestos exposure has been found in, but not limited.
Asbestos Exposure Symptoms related illness
After asbestos exposure, symptoms can take 10 to 50 years to show. According to the National Cancer Institute,asbestos exposure symptoms related illnesses include:
· Shortness of breath
· A cough or a change in cough pattern
· Blood in the fluid coughed up from the lungs
· Pain in the chest or abdomen
· Difficulty in swallowing
· Prolonged hoarseness
· Significant weight loss
Who is at risk?
Anyone can be exposed to asbestos. It is in the materials our homes and schools were built with. It is in many common household items. Due to its heat and fire resistance, it is use more heavily in certain industries.
